Welcome To Our Festival

Save the date
17-25 October 2025

Welcome to the Wells Festival of Literature, set up in 1992 to celebrate the written word and to encourage the love of books.

Competition Shortlists Revealed

2025 Speakers

  • Tim Spector

    Food

  • Sebastian Faulks

    Memoir

  • Gina Rippon

    Science

  • Edward St Aubyn

    Fiction

  • Dan Richards

    Life-style

  • Sumit Paul-Choudhury

    Philosophy

  • Sophy Roberts

    Travel

  • Horatio Clare

    Current Affairs

  • Nick Trend

    Art

  • Mike Berners-Lee

    Environment

  • Lamorna Ash

    Religion

  • Wells Literary Quiz

    Quiz

  • Howard Jacobson

    Fiction

  • Midge Gillies

    History

  • Masud Husain

    Science

  • International Competitions

  • Simon Kuper

    Sport

  • Carol Klein

    Gardening

  • Tim Willasey-Wilsey

    History

  • Stuart Maconie

    Music

  • Selena Wisnom

    History

  • Emily Hauser

    History/Literature

  • Lucy Mangan

    Literature

  • Tim Bouverie

    History

  • Anne Sebba

    History/Music

  • Steve Crawshaw

    Current Affairs

  • Andrew Lownie

    Current Affairs

  • James Canton

    Environment

  • Frank Close

    Science

  • Iain Dale

    Current Affairs

  • Christopher Summerfield

    Science

  • Prue Leith

    Food

  • Ros Ballaster

    Literature

  • Tim Minshall

    Science

  • Luke Pepera

    History

  • Lyse Doucet

    Current Affairs

  • Rachel Parris

    Literature/Comedy

News for 2025

  • Talking about the Arctic… from the Arctic!

    Jemma Wadham, scheduled to appear in Wells on the Cedars Hall stage on Saturday 23 October at 2pm, will now be…

  • New event follows a royal couple in exile

    In a change to the published programme, we are delighted to introduce bestselling author Andrew Lownie as he explores the…

  • Event Cancellation

    We very much regret that Emma Dabiri, who was scheduled to discuss What White People Can Do Next with Sarah LeFanu, has had…

  • First class tickets to everywhere!

    Somerset was long considered the heart of England. After all, it’s easy to feel at home here. Many of our…

Thank you to all our 2025 Sponsors

Principal Sponsor

Amba Wells
Basil Powell Shoes
Charlie Bigham’s
Chris & Rosie Inge
Clair Watson
Eleanor Decamp
Golden Bottle Trust
John Jackson

Justin Ash
Lodestone Property
Millfield School
Priory Dental
Rathbones
Roby Littman Foundation
Wells Cathedral School
Westholme Publishing

Thank you also to our patrons: The Rt. Hon. Lord Waldegrave of North Hill and Lady Waldegrave and
Festival Associates: James Coomarasamy, Sarah LeFanu, David Lister, Andrew Miller, Stephen Moss and Julia Samuel.

Competitions
Education
Friends

Wells Festival of Literature
Celebrating its 33rd Year in 2025

Wells Festival of Literature is a registered charity entirely run by a committee of volunteers, funded by ticket sales, competition entries and generous local sponsors and Friends.

EVENTS
HAPPY FESTIVAL
VISITORS A YEAR
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
DISTRIBUTED IN 2024
CHILDREN INVOLVED
IN 2024


“It was a joy to be part of the Festival.
I was so impressed by the engagement of the audience and by the knowledge and passion of this year’s
interviewers and speakers.”  

Susie Dent – 2024